Tube frame



. 1,631,092 May 1927' E. F. ,HATHAWAY ET AL I TUBE FRAME Filed Dec. 5, 1925 E wlm Luigi? &

Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR F. HA'IHAWAY, OF WELLESLEY, AND CHARLES LEA, OF MILTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, ,ASSIGNORS TO SHAWMUT ENGINEERING COMPANY, BOSTON, MASSACHU- sET'rs, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS;

TUBE FRAME.

Application filed December 3. 1925. Serial No. 72,997.

This invention relates to tube frames and isintended to provide a light, inexpensive and rigid structure particularly adapted for use on narrow looms for weaving Axminster carpets. I p 1 At the present time tube frames for weaving wide seamless rugs are preferably made with tubular metallic carrier-bars in preference to carrier-bars of wood because of the greater stiffness and rigidity and dura bility, as well as the lighter weight as compared with a, wooden. bar with its metal re-enforcements. In the fleldof; narrow fabric Axminster looms, however, the wooden carrier-bars have continued in use because tube-frames of short length would not require such re-cnforcement as the long tube-frames required, and it was possible to make them of wood lighter and cheaper than if they were made of drawn seamless tubing. l

The present improvements, while applicable to other types of tubeframes, are particularly intended to provide a construction whirh can be made sufficiently light to fit it for service on narrow tube-frames, and which can be made so cheaply as to successfully compete with the short wooden carrier-bars heretofore in use, and that too without sacrificing the stiffness or resistance to torsional or twisting strains.

\Vith these objects in view the invention comprises an improvement in the carrier bar itself by which a light, cheap and stiff carrierbar can be readily produced from sheet metal; second, in the construction and arrangement of the tube-frame hangers or brackets by which the tube-frames are suspended from their carrier-chains and afford rotatable support for the yarn-delivering spools.

These and other features of the invention will be particularly described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a preferred form embodying the principles of this invention, in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of the complete tube-frame, the ,middle which is broken away.

portion of" Figure 2 is an inside elevation of one of the brackets and hangers attached to the carrier-bar, the latter being shown in crosssection. I

Figure 3 is a front elevation, partly in central section of one of the hangers before attachment to the carrier-bar.

Figure 4 is an outside end elevation of the tube-frame without the spool and with out the tuft-tubes.

Figure 5 is a detail showing in crosssection the manner in which the hollow carrier-bar isheld by the. tuft-tubes under tension. I I

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a portion of the carrier-bar having an inserted wooden core with some of the tuft-tubes secured in operative position thereon.

In the practice of this invention, as illustrated ,in the drawings, the longitudinal] carrier-bar is formed in a properly dimen sioncd longitudinal strip of sheet metal of a comparatively thin gauge which is folded into tubular form so as to form top, back and bottom walls, a longitudinal gap being left in front between the longitudinal edges of the sheet metal, which gap is bridged over by the row of tuft-tubes as will now be described.

In folding the hollow bar or tube 1, the bottom wall 1", is extended forwardly of the main body of the tube and is formed with a series of transverse notches or apertures, as shown at 2, for the reception of the tufttubes. The forward edge of the top-wall is bent down to form a convex or over hanging longitudinal rib 1, near the edge, while the edgeportion 1 lies in -a flat direction to form a backing for the intake ends of the row of tuft tubes t. The tuft-tubes ii are in the form of hollow flat tapered tubes of usual construction except that their backwalls are struck out to form a small springtongue t, located at a predetermined distance from the intake end thereof so that when each tuft-tube is crowded through to the tuft-tube receiving aperture 2 in the projecting ledge 1", of the carrier-bar, the tongue t is momentarily compressed and then, upon being forced through the ledge, springs out, as shown in Figurec5, to form a shoulder or lock preventing its withdrawal until the locking tongue is sprung inward.

TVhen the tubes have thus been inserted the top and bottom walls are pressed toward each other and held in contracted position until the intake ends of the tuft-tubes are soldered to the supporting face of the ledge 1 The solder can be readily applied to the end edges of the back-walls because the over-hanging or projecting rib 1 prevents the tuft-yarn from coming in con-tactwith the solder distributed along beneath such rib.

After the soldering operation the tufttube is released from the compression against the top and bottom walls but the opposite longitudinal edges of the stripar-e held understrong tension by the bridging action of the tuft-tubes themselves which are anchored to the bottom wall by their tongues t, and are soldered to the support ing front face 1, as previously described. The objectof placing the tubular carrierbar undertension is to gain increased stiffness in the structure so as to resist not only sagging in the middle but, more particularly, to resist the torsion or twist which is likely to be encountered where a very thin gauge of metal is used for the carrier-bar.

This torque-resisting eifect may be increased by the insertion of a wooden core or interuahbar 3, and when this is used the compression of the top and bottom walls against the wooden core, before soldering the tuft-tubes in place, serves a double purpose. N'otonly does it assist in stiffeningthe bar against torque, but italso serves as a means of holding the wooden'core 3a'gain'st displacement. Since the wooden core is used only as a torque-resisting fe'eler it need not extend the whole length of the bar, and what 'ismore important it maybe made of soft, light wood, such as white pine, which is very easily compressed and is very light in weight. The further object in compressing and contracting the metal bar on such a core is that it maintains firmcontactbetween the metal bar and the wooden core in spiteof slight shrinkages and, therefore, utilizes at all times the torque-resisting effect of the wooden core undilninished by shriiikage.

The endbrackets used for suspending the carrier-bar fromthe carrier chains are,'g ene'rally' speaking, alike except 'in one particular. The suspension bracket at one end of the bar has a closedbearingfor the spool, while the suspension bracket at the other end has an open'bearing forth'e spool-journal so that the journal can be lifted "out of the open eud-bearingand '"thendrawn endwiseout'of theclcsed end-bearing. A movable keeper-or retaining latch is used in the open bearing, as will now be explained.

In each case the bearing bracket comprises a vertical arm 4:, to whose lower portion there -is secured an attaching member 5 which, in this case, is in the form of a threesided or U-shaped clip whose free ends are formed with tenons 5, 5*,inserted in corresponding aperturesformed in the lower "portion ofthe hanger or arm. these tenons being secured in place by heading down the ioutervend, or in any suitable manner. The

tenon 5, at the lower portion of the attachin g "bracket, asst-ruckup from the middle portion of the lower horizontal arm forming, so to speak, a tongue betw'een t'wo fork-like members 5, Whose ends abut against the inner face of the arm l;

At the lower end ofeach bracket there is formed a fulcral aperture l to receive the open eyeor loop 6 of the suspension latchhook 6, whose upper end terminates in the chain-engaging hook 6. A fulcral pin '7, inserted through'the open eye at'the bottom end of the latch 6, afterthe 'latch has been inserted in its fulcral aperture 45*, serves to pivotally support the latch, and when' the bracket is placed inside the tubular carrierbar' the pinis prevented by the front and rear walls from accidental displacement The upper portion of the brackets 4 is divided into-two branches, the outer branch 4%, forming a chain-penetrating arm out wardly offset and upwardly extending to pass into the link of a supporting chain, while the inner branch 4 forms a bearing member for supporting the journal 1O of the yarn-spool 10, -as shown at the left of figure 1. The spool-bearing member l of the right-hand bracket, as shown in Figure 1, instead ofhaving a closed bearing has an open or notched bearing, as shown in Figures Q-a'nd 3 and we, therefore provide a'keeper or journal-retaining latch 8 to prevent accidental displacement. This spoollatch 8 is bent at its low-er end to form an angular depression, asshown at S, which is adapted to seat itself in a fulcral -aperture 2%, formed in the suspension arm 4 a little dis'tance above the topof the carrierbar. This oifset orrecessed portio'nof the latch atl'ords both a fulcral portion for the support of the latch in the fulcral recess and also affords a recess or seat for the spring 9, which is interposed between-a depression 6 of the suspension latch '6, so that the spring exerts a thrust in opposite directionsagainst both o'fthese latcheswhile the latchesafl'o'rd support for "the spring. The spool-latch, near its upper'end, has its interior portion s'truckotit'to form a lateral lip 8 which normally projects into'the open bearing recess 4, in the suspension hanger and prevents the escape of the spool-journal therefrom. When it'i's desired 'to remove the spool from the tube fraine the spoollatch 8 is pressed outward against the tension of the spring 9, as shown in' Figure 3, making it possible to leave the adjacent spool journal out of its bearing and withdraw the opposite spool-journal endwise from the closed hearing at -1 The construction of the hangers with their attaching member is so rigid that they can be made of comparatively light pressed metal stock and, furthermore, the parts of the suspension hanger are so constructed and arranged as to be very easily and quickly assembled or removed. The attaching member 5, when inserted in the end of the tubular bar, is rigidly secured therein by opposite screws 15. The device, therefore, affords at the same time a very light and a very rigid construction, all the parts of which can be made from pressed steel and are, therefore, very inexpensive so that both in lightness and in economythe device compares favorably with the wooden carrier-bar construction heretoforeused on narrow tube-frames while possessing in a higlrdegree rigidity and resistance against torsional or twisting strains. i

It will also be noticed that both the spool latch and the chain-engaging latch are inserted through the slot in the offset portion of the arm 4 formed by striking out from the interior of its upper portion the spool- 7 bearing member t. In this way the aperture in the upper portion of the arm forms a guiding journal or slot preventing sidewise displacement of both these latches and insuring the maintenance of the latches in their correct operative positions for service.

hat we claim is: 1. In a tube-frame the combination of a carrier-bar comprising a longitudinal strip of sheet metal bent lengthwise to form a tubular bar open along its front, the bottom wall being extended forward to form an apertured ledge for receiving a row of tuft tubes. the upper portion of the front being bowed out and projected downward to form a tuft-tube attaching face, and a row of tuft-tubes inserted through the apertures in said ledge with their intake ends soldered to the front face while the bar is contracted vertically by compression whereby the tubes form means for connecting the two edges of the folded bar and maintaining it under tension.

2. In a. tube-frame the combination of a carrier-bar embracing a longitudinal strip of sheet metal folded into tubular form to leave a longitudinal gap between its edges along the front thereof, the bottom wall being projected forward to form a projecting ledge having transverse tube-receiving apertures, a torque-resisting stiffening core inserted inside said bar and held therein by contractile tension of the bar, a row of tufttubes secured to the opposite edge portions of the bar to bridge across the gap in its front and maintain the contractile tension of the bar upon its core, substantially as described.

3. A suspension bracket for a tube-frame embracing in its construction a suspension arm, a spring hook-latch mounted thereon to releasablyengage a carrier-chain, a barattaching member comprising a substantially U-shaped piece formed to be inserted in the open hollow end of a carrier-bar, the opposite end portions of said attaching memher being formed with projecting tenons extending through apertures in the corresponding portions of the hanger and being firmly secured therein.

4. A suspension bracket for a tube frame provided at its lower end with means for securing it firmly to thehollow end portions of a carrier-bar, said bracket being formed with fulcral apertures in its lower and in its middle portions one above theother. a chain-engaging hook-latch fulcrume'd 1n the lower aperture and a spool journal-retaining latch fulcrumed in the other, both latches being'pressed into normal operative position for service by an interposed oppositely thrusting spring.

5. An end bracket for a tube-frame embracing in its construction, a vertical arm adapted to be secured to the carrier-bar of a tube-frame and having at its upper end chain-penetrating and spool-bearing members, the spool-bearing member being provided with an open bearing recess for the spool-journal, a journal-retaining middle portion of said arm to swing in the longitudinal plane of the tube-frame and being formed at its upper end to overhang the spool-journal when pressed into normal operative position while being movable outward to allow the journal to be lifted from its bearing. 7

6. An end bracket for a tube-frame e1nbracing an arm adapted to be secured to the end of a tube-frame carrier-bar, said arm having the interior part of its upper portion struck out and inwardly offset from the remaining portion of the upper end to form a spool-bearing member with an open bearing recess thereby leaving an interior aperture in said arm. a spool-latch and a chain-engaging latch each projecting through said aperture and fulcrumed in the arm below said aperture and normally held under spring tension in normal operative position. o

7. An end bracket for a tube-frame embracing a vertical arm adapted to be secured to the carrier-bar of a tube-frame, the upper portion of which is formed with two projecting relatively offset members of unequal length, the inner struck out from the interior portion of the outer member and forming an open bearing for a spool-journal,

latch loosely seated in a recess formed in the opposing latches 'fulor'umed in lowerportions of the armand projecting upwardly'through an aperture in its ofii'set upper portion, a thrust-spring interposed between said latches to thrust them 'yieldingly apart, the inner latch; normally overhanging tl16' 21Clj acent spool-bearing and the outer one being yieldinglyheld inp'osition'to overhang a carrierchain.

8. An end bracket for a tube-frame einbracing a suspension arm provided with means torrigidly securing it to the carrierbar of a tube-frame, and formed with tw upwardly extending ofiset extensions, the inner one being proridedwith an open bearing for a yarn spool, the outer one itorming a chain-penetrating member, a spool-retaining latch whose'lower end is formed with an offset :t'ulcral portion adapted to be seated in an aperture in said arm, a suspension latch t'ulcrumed in the arm below the tulcral point of the spool latch, athrust-spring interposed bet veen said latches and support ed'by them, both latchespassing through an aperture in the offset portion'ot the arm and b'eingguided thereby in their movements to and "from operative position. v

9. An end bracket for a "tube-frame embracing an arm provided at its lower end with means for attaching it rigidly to the carrier-bar ot a tube-frame, a chain-engaging hook-latch attached to said arm, a spoolbearing member disposed inwardly in relation to said hook-latch and provided with 1 an open bearing recess, a spool-latch whose lower portion is inwardly depressed to form a fnlcral portioiradapted to seat in a receiving aperture formed insaid arm and to receive an exterior thrust spring arranged to press thespool-latch inwardly until the upper end otthe latch overhangs the said open bearing for thespool. I

'10. An end bracket for a tube-frame, embracing a suspension arm, a three-sided attaching member secured to itslower end by tenons insertedand secured in'apertures formed 'in said arm by heading down the outer ends of said tenons,-the attaching member forming in conjunction with the adjacent portion ofthe arm, a hollow four- 

